he terrorist attacks of September 11 have had little lasting impact on the workplaces of companies that were not directly affected. This doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t HR lessons to be learned from the event. In fact, what the terrorist attacks did do was remind employers of the importance of taking care of certain basic HR issues, as well as being prepared for workplace emergencies. Some of the issues that have risen to the surface are:

1. Employee safety and security. "If employers don’t pay attention to safety and security issues, there is the possibility for lawsuits regarding negligent hiring, supervision, and good old-fashioned negligence," says attorney Roger Brice, partner and head of the labor and employment group at Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal in Chicago. "There is a general duty clause in OSHA that says that employers have to provide workplaces that are free of recognized hazards that could cause harm to employees. In light of 9/11, if employers don’t take some heightened security precautions and bad things happen, they can be subject to liability."

   Interestingly enough, when it comes to security, Brice believes that today’s employees tend to be much more accepting of things they would have considered intrusions two years ago. This includes e-mail and voice-mail monitoring and the use of security badges and metal detectors.

2. Succession planning. The fact that so many people were killed on September 11 while at work underscores the importance of succession planning and the need for organizations to have already identified leaders who can step into key roles on short notice.

   "Companies cannot afford to have small numbers of people with skill sets that are not shared by others," says Paul Ofman, a consultant with RHR International in New York.

3. Policies regarding business travel. Employers have to determine what they will do with employees who are afraid to fly even though their jobs may require travel. If the fear is clinically based, it may be a covered disability under the ADA, and employers would have to make reasonable accommodations.

4. Military leave. HR must inform supervisors that employees have a right to military leave. By law, employees who are members of the military reserve must be granted leaves of absence on request. If the leaves of absence are for less than 91 days, the returning employees must be re-employed in the positions they would have had if the employment had not been interrupted by military service. If the leaves are longer, the returning employees must be reinstated to the positions they would have had or similar positions in terms of seniority, status, and pay.

5. Crisis planning. According to Arthur F. Silbergeld, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Proskauer Rose LLP, human resources departments should review and update their crisis and evacuation plans, and establish plans to provide employees with food and shelter for up to 72 hours in the event of a disaster that prevents them from leaving the premises.

6. Employee communication. In uncertain times -- whether because of a terrorist attack or a declining economy -- employees need communication from management more than ever. "HR executives need to be mindful that it is their job to connect the dots for employees," Ofman says. They have to demonstrate to employees why their jobs are still relevant in order to re-establish enthusiasm and commitment.

7. Employee-assistance plans. The counseling resources available through employee-assistance programs were used heavily in the weeks after September 11. According to a study by ComPsych, a company that manages workplace employee-assistance programs, one out of five employees who’d previously used their company’s EAP used it following September 11, and an additional 11 percent of employees began to view EAP services with renewed respect.

   One of the problems experienced by some companies with EAPs was that information about use of these services didn’t always make it to the senior leaders who tend not to be well-informed about how people are feeling and reacting to crisis.

Workforce, March 2002, p. 38 -- Subscribe Now!